Microfiche duplicating apparatus

ABSTRACT

Unexposed film in roll form is fed to an exposure station. At the station, a tray assembly for holding the fische original slides perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the film. The tray comprises a platen connected to a lower plate by pivot arms so that when the tray assembly is slid toward the exposure station, the platen section contacts a fixed stop in the station while the lower plate continues to move laterally a short distance thereby pivoting the arms and causing the platen to be pressed upward against the unexposed film during exposure. Developing uses high pressure anhydrous ammonia. A pressure pad, which is heated, is pressed onto the film surface. A Teflon coating and small holes insure even heat distribution and the holes also allow air to escape from the film surface.

United States Patent Lakin et al.

[ 1 Sept. 4, 1973 [73] Assignee:

[22] Filed:

[21] Appl.No.: 131,331

[52] U.S. CI 355/27, 355/72, 355/100, 355/128, 355/129 [51] Int. Cl. G031) 21/14 [58] Field of Search 355/27, 28, 29, 64, 355/72, 73, 99, 128, 129, 100

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,933,030 Bornemann 355/99 3,500,734 355/28 X 3,535,039 355/100 3,318,219 Anderson 355/100 Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio Apr. 5, 1971 Thomas R. Bristol; William J. Renseh, both of Redwood City, all of CONTROL CIRCUIT 3,286,608 11/1966 Friedel 355/99 X 3,320,867 5/1967 Miller 355/99 X Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner-Michael Harris Attorney Sol L Gold s tai et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT Unexposed film in roll form is fed to an exposure station. At the station, a tray assembly for holding the fische original slides perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the film. The tray comprises a platen connected to a lower plate by pivot arms so that when the tray assembly is slid toward the exposure station, the platen section contacts a fixed stop in the station while the lower plate continues to move laterally a short distance thereby pivoting the arms and causing the platen to be pressed upward against the unexposed film during exposure. Developing uses high pressure anhydrous ammonia. A pressure pad, which is heated, is pressed onto the film surface. A Teflon coating and small holes insure even heat distribution and the holes also allow air to escape from the film surface.

8 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED 3.756.708

sum 1 or 2 H S-m r316 INVENTORS' HAROLD LAKIN THOMAS R. BRISTOL WILLIAM J. RENSCH ATTORNEYS on on mmrw SHEEI 2 BF 2 m n O 5 5 2 rm w 6 3 9 z kw G M F 6 l l w 1 8 lQ o ll Iv I K M m'rllf" FlG 6 INVENTORS HAROLD LAKIN THOMAS R. BRISTOL WILLIAM J. RENSCH ATTORNEYS MICROFICHE DUPLICATING APPARATUS This invention relates to apparatus for duplicating microfiche masters, and more particularly, to a semiautomatic microfiche duplicating machine and its component parts.

Microforms is the general term for many kinds of film carriers having greatly reduced images thereon. Among the many kinds of microforms now known in the art are aperture cards and microfiche. Aperture cards are business machine type cards on stiff paper stock having windows therein within which or over which a piece of film for carrying images is affixed. Still another microform is what has come to be known as microfiche or fiche. Fiche of various kinds are known including fiche which are nothing more than a rectangular piece of film with a plurality of images thereon or a transparent plastic carrier having strips of film affixed thereto or enclosed within the double sheets of the carrier. A standard fiche which has received wide acceptance within the industry is the COSATI microfiche with dimensions of 105mm X 148mm.

The apparatus of the present invention is designed to produce microfiche made from a single section of film according to COSATI or other specifications from various kinds of microfiche masters. Among the masters now in general use are those in which microfilm images from a roll of 16mm microfilm are cut into strips of the proper length and then bonded to a backing sheet. Another master incolves the use of 16mm microfilm strips inserted into elongate pockets in a transparent carrier card. Master microfiche may also be produced by means of a step and repeat camera which produces a series of images on an unexposed section of film which film is then developed and cut to appropriate lengths. The present invention will make an unlimited number of duplicates of such microfiche masters by means of contact printing.

The present invention provides for the feeding of a continuous strip of unexposed film from a roll film feeding station through an exposure station where a microfiche master may be placed in juxtaposition with a section of the unexposed film and thence to a developing station where the exposed section of film is developed and from there to a cut off knife where the individual fiche are separated from the continuous strip of film and the individual fiche taken to a collecting or collating apparatus or accumulated in exit hoppers. The developer station of the present invention includes provision for heating of the film which is being developed so that core set (the slight shaping of the film which occurs from storage in a roll) may be removed, the developing process speeded up through raising the temperature in the development chamber, or vesicular films developed solely by means of the heating unit.

At the exposure station the duplicating machine is provided with a master fiche tray upon which themaster fiche is held in ready position for movement into alignment with the film passing through the machine. The platen on the tray includes provisions for adjustably holding the various kinds of fiche masters in place for proper alignment. When the tray is moved inward an eccentric-operated device will pull the platen inward in order to cause it to move slightly upward and press the fiche master tightly against the roll film for proper contact to permit exposure of the copy and proper duplication of the original material on the master.

In the developer station which has heretofore been described briefly, the developer pressure pad in addition to the heating means for removing core set and for developing vesicular type films, is adjustable in order to accommodate various types of film bases such as acetate and polyester. In addition, the developer pad includes a plurality of passageways therein so that when the pad presses tightly against the film, no air pockets will be entrapped so that there will be uniform pressure along the entire surface of the copy film. This is accomplished by having the passageways connected to the face of the pad by means of a plurality of small holes bored or drilled into the face of the pad. When the pad face presses against the film, any entrapped air escapes through the holes and into the passageways.

IN THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective of the microfiche duplicating machine of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan of the platen which holds the microfiche masters to be copied;

FIG. 2A is an end view thereof;

FIG. 3 is aside'view of the microfiche master tray, platen and pressure actuating device;

FIG. 4 is a view of the same showing the pressure device engaged and the platen pressed upward;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the developer pressure pad;

and

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the face of the developer pad.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which the same reference numerals refer to the identical parts in each of the several views, the microfiche duplicating machine of the present invention is shown generally at 10 in FIG. 1. The duplicating machine comprises a roll film feeding station 12 from which the film from a continuous roll of unexposed film is fed through guide plates and rollers 14 into the exposure station 16. From the exposure station the film still in a continuous strip moves through the developer station 18 and from the developer station through the indexing rollers 20 to the cut off knife 22. The cut off knife 22 severs each fiche from the continuous strip of film. The duplicating machine may be provided with a fiche transport belt 24 (shown in phantom) for moving the cut fiche to a storage station or to a collating device. Alternatively, the machine may be provided with a fiche receiving hopper 26 for storing the cut fiche as they exit from the machine. The storage hopper is also shown in phantom in FIG. 1.

The duplicating machine 10 of the present invention including the parts heretofore described is mounted on an elongate rigid base 28 having legs 30 at each of the corners thereof for supporting the machine at an appropriate height from the floor. The film station 12 comprises a rotatable shaft 32 upon which a roll of unexposed film 34 is mounted for the duplication of standard fiche and the production of COSATI microfiche by 148 millimeters in size. A typical roll of film would be 105 millimeters wide by 500 feet long. The film, depending upon the type of development to be utilized may be diazo, vesicular or other types usable with the particular exposure and development stations mounted on the machine base. The film support shaft 32 is connected to drive motor 36 coaxially. The drive motor is intermittently powered through a control switch actuated by dancer roll 38 which rests on the film which unwinds from the roll 34 and passes into the guide plates and rollers 14 and exposure station 16. The dancer roll is mounted on pivot arm 40, the pivot of the arm being located at the shaft 32. As the dancer roll pivots upward and downward through action of the tightening and loosening of the film web being fed into the machine, a control switch at shaft end of the arm 40 is actuated so that the drive motor 36 is turned on for a short period to unroll an additional amount of film from the roll 34. There is a hunting action as the dancer roll rises and falls to intermittently unwind film from the roll 34 into the machine.

The guide plates and rollers 14 comprise a pair of vertical plates 42 positioned adjacent the film station 12. A single roller 44 is mounted near the upper ends of the plates 42 so that the film from the dancer roll will pass over the roller downward and between paired rollers 46. The paired rollers 46 are mounted at the lower end of the vertical plates 42 and also at right angles to the elongate axis of the base 28.

The roll film which unwinds from the roll 34 passes under the dancer roll 38 and from there over single roller 44, downward and around part of the periphery of the upper of the paired rollers 46 and from there into the exposure station 16.

The exposure station 16 includes the lamp housing and shutter assembly 48 mounted under the base 28 for directing the exposure light upward through the master fiche and the unexposed roll film. At the exposure station the carriage assembly 50 for carrying the master fiche intojuxtaposition with the roll film includes a pair of elongate slide members 52 upon which the carriage 54 moves at right angles into and out of the path of the roll film. Mounted on the upper surface of the carriage is the exposure platen 56 upon which the master fiche are placed. The exposure platen includes a glass or other transparent carrier 58 with a plurality of holddown clips 60 mounted around one or more edges of the platen for holding the fiche master in proper position for exposure.

A control circuit 61 is provided for controlling the number of copies which will be made of the microfiche master secured to the exposure platen. The circuit includes a counter which may be preset for the number of copies to be exposed and includes provision for coritrolling a collator which may be connected to the machine adjacent the cut off knife. The control circuit through control of the number of exposures also controls the indexing station 20.

After the film has been exposed it moves from the exposure station through a pair of exit rollers 62 and into the developer station 18. The developer station comprises a rigid, vertically aligned frame 64 of generally inverted U-shape within which is suspended the developer pad 66. The suspension of the developer pad includes a shaft 68 passing through the upper portion of the developer frame and further includes a toggle linkage within the upper portion of the frame and holding the developer pad, the toggle linkage being powered by the developer motor 70. This linkage, when actuated, exerts a substantial downward force on the developer pad to press the pad tightly against the developer chamber 72 so that the chamber will be sealed against a high pressure anhydrous ammonia used for development of diazo type films.

From the developer station the roll film passes through the double rollers 74 of the indexing station 20. These rollers are mounted at right angles to the elongate axis of the base 28 on a pair of upright supports 76. The rollers are powered by the indexing motor 78 which is controlled from a master control unit to index the film forward intermittently sufficient distance to permit multiple fiche images to be developed in the continuous roll with no spacing between the fiche. The film roll passes through the index rollers 74 to the rotary cut off knife 22. The knife 22 is journaled in a pair of vertical supports 80. One end. of the rotary knife passes through the journal and is connected to extension arm 82. An elongate linkage 84 between the actuating arm 82 and the actuating solenoid 86 permits the knife to be rotated when the solenoid is actuated so that each developed fiche is cut off in turn from the continuous roll of film which has passed through the machine. If the machine is connected to a collating and collecting device such as is shown in copending patent application Ser. No. 58,938, filed July 28, 1970 which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, a fiche transport belt or similar means, will carry the individual fiche to the collating and collecting unit. A simple collection hopper 26 may be utilized at the end of base 28 so that the individual fiche as they are cut off by the knife 22 will drop into the hopper for collection at a subsequent time.

Details of the exposure platen 56 are illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 2A. The platen comprises a rectangular platen frame' 88 having guide lips 90 formed along the outer longitudinal edges of the platen to permit the platen to slide into and out of the exposure carriage 54. Inside the frame 88 there is formed a rectangular window within which the glass carrier 58 is held against longitudinal shoulders 92 milled into the longitudinal inner edges of the platen frame 88. The support for the exposure glass is deliberately made to extend along only two edges of the glass in order to permit the glass to conform to the pressure pad 94 mounted above the exposure station 16. We have found that by supporting the glass only along its long edges the glass will tend to flex slightly in order to conform completely to the exact shape of the pressure pad 94 and thus insure intimate contact between the fiche master and the unexposed section of the film passing through the exposure station. In FIGS. 3 and 4 the operating mechanism for compressing the master fiche against the pressure pad and section of unexposed film in the exposure station is illustrated.

The carriage assembly 50 includes an upper platen carrier 96 pivotally attached to lower platen carrier 98 so that the upper carrier moves laterally with respect to the lower carrier. The pivots between the upper and lower carriers comprise four links 100 mounted on two sides of the carriers by means of pivot pins 102 in each of the carrier frames.

Before the carriage assembly is moved into the expose position in the exposure station it is in approximately the relative position illustrated in FIG. 3. The carriage assembly is moved into the exposure station so that the upper platen carrier moves against and is stopped by roller stop 104. The roller stop is rotatably mounted on carrier arm 106 which forms a part of the stop support 108. The stop support 108 is approximately U-shaped and in the space between the U sections retracting hook 110 is mounted on an elongate actuating rod 112. At the opposite end of actuating rod 112 from the retracting hook 110, cam follower 114 is mounted concentrically around eccentric cam 116.

The lower platen carrier 98 is formed with an overhanging lip 118 which is engaged by the backward jutting complementary lip 120 of the retracting hook 110. When the upper and lower platen carriers move into contact with the roller stop 104 the retracting hook 110 is moved forward so that the hook lip 120 engages the overhanging lip 118 of the lower platen carrier. The eccentric cam is moved backward so that the retracting hook 1 is moved backward carrying the lower platen carrier with it. Since the upper platen carrier is stopped against the roller stop 104 it can only move upward as the linkages 100 pivot because of the relative lateral movement between the lower and upper platen carriers. The upward movement of the upper platen carrier 96 carries the exposure platen 56 with it so that the platen presses tightly against the pressure pad 94 of the exposure station. This compresses the master fiche against the section of film to be exposed thus assuring proper exposure of the film copy by the master fiche secured to the exposure platen 56. v

The developer pad which forms a part of the developer station 18 is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The developer pad 66 comprises a heavy casting 122 having a plurality of reinforcing ribs 124 along its upper surface for increased rigidity and strength. The upper portion 126 of the developer pad includes a through bore 128 centrally located in the developer pad to accommodate the toggle linkage which actuates the developer pad upward and downward within the developer station. The lower portion of the developer pad includes a rectangular base portion 130. Affixed to the base portion of the developer pad is a heater assembly 132 and a pressure pad assembly 134, the heater being sandwiched between the pressure pad 134 and thebase portion 130. As may be more clearly seen in FIG. 5 the pressure pad includes a plurality of passageways or through bores 136 which pass from edge to edge of the pressure pad parallel to the face 138 of the pressure pad. The face of the pad is coated with a smooth, heat resistant, plastic coating such as Teflon in order to spread heat more evenly. As may be more clearly seen in FIG. 6 there is a plurality of small diameter holes 140 bored directly into the face 138 of the pressure pad and perpendicular thereto connecting the face with the passageways 136. In the preferred embodiment these .holes are approximately .015 inches in diameter and are spaced approximately one-fourth inch apart. They permit air to escape through the holes and passageways when the pressure pad presses against the film to form the development chamber. The escape of the air from between the film surface and the face 138 of the pressure pad assures even development of the film and even heating of the film through the elimination of the air pockets which might tend to form otherwise.

The coating on the face 138 of the pad serves an additional important function, that of insuringeven distribution of heat over the entire surface of the film. The small holes 140 are made small enough to preclude any substantial heat conduction discontinuity where the film contacts the holes. The coating of Teflon or similar material permits introduction of thermal energy to the film at a controlled rate by acting as an impedance to the flow of heat from the heated pad to the film.

While one embodiment of the invention has been shown and described it will be obvious that other adap-v tations and modifications can be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A microfiche duplicating machine comprising: a storage station for storing a roll of unexposed film; means for intermittently feeding the unexposed film from the stored roll along a path past an exposure station, a developer station, and then to a cutoff station; an exposure station; means at the exposure station for placing a microfiche master in juxtaposition with a portion of the unexposed film; an energy source at the exposure station for exposing the section of unexposed film juxtaposed with the microfiche master; a developer station along the path and adjacent the exposure station for developing the exposed film section; means for cutting off the developed section of film from the balance of the film strip; and the means for placing the microfiche master in juxtaposition with a portion of the unexposed film comprising a microfiche master holding tray having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section hingedly connected to the lower section, and including means for moving one of said trays laterally relative to the other so that the upper tray moves upward on the hinges to press the microfiche master against the unexposed film.

2. The duplicating machine of claim 1 and wherein the developer station for developing the exposed film comprises: a pressure pad for pressing the exposed film against a cooperating developing chamber, and including heating means in the pressure pad for heating the surface of the pad which is in contact with the film.

3. The duplicating machine of claim 1 and including means for collecting the cut off section of film.

4. The duplicating machine of claim 1 and wherein the intermittent feeding means includes means for advancing the film intermittently a sufficient distance to permit multiple fiche images to be developed in the film with no spacing between the fiche.

5. The duplicating machine of claim 2 wherein the surface of the pressure pad has a plurality of holes therein for venting of air entrapped between the pad surface and the film.

6. The duplicating machine of claim 2 wherein the surface of the pressure pad has a coating thereon of material of lower thermal conductivity than the material of the pad so that the coating acts as a thermal impedance.

7. The duplicating machine of claim 2 wherein the surface of the pressure pad has a Teflon coating thereon.

8. A machine for making duplicate microfiche comprising: a holder for a roll of unexposed film; a dancer roll for maintaining constant tension on the film as it is fed from the roll through the machine; an exposure station wherein a microfiche master may be juxtaposed with a section of the film fed from the roll for transferring the image from themasterto a section of the unexposed film; a microfiche master feeding tray assembly,

said tray slideable along an axis perpendicular to the film being fed through the machine,- said tray having means for securing a microfiche master thereto, and means for pressing the microfiche master and unexposed film together at the exposure station, said tray having an upper platen carrier and a lower platen carrier pivotally connected together at a plurality at parallel pivot points and including means for moving one of the carriers relative to the other along the pivotal connections so that the carriers move apart; a developing station adjacent the exposure station for developing the latent image in the section of the film after exposure; cut off means for cutting the exposed and developed section of film from the balance of the roll; feeding means for intermittently advancing the film from the for determining the number of copies of the microfiche master to be made by advancing the film incrementally sufficiently to feed the final exposed section through roll holder through the exposure station, the developthe developing station and the cut Off stationing station, and to the cut off means; and control means 

1. A microfiche duplicating machine comprising: a storage station for storing a roll of unexposed film; means for intermittently feeding the unexposed film from the stored roll along a path past an exposure station, a developer station, and then to a cutoff station; an exposure station; means at the exposure station for placing a microfiche master in juxtaposition with a portion of the unexposed film; an energy source at the exposure station for exposing the section of unexposed film juxtaposed with the microfiche master; a developer station along the path and adjacent the exposure station for developing the exposed film section; means for cutting off the developed section of film from the balance of the film strip; and the means for placing the microfiche master in juxtaposition with a portion of the unexposed film comprising a microfiche master holding tray having an upper section and a lower section, the upper section hingedly connected to the lower section, and including means for moving one of said trays laterally relative to the other so that the upper tray moves upward on the hinges to press the microfiche master against the unexposed film.
 2. The duplicating machine of claim 1 and wherein the developer station for developing the exposed film comprises: a pressure pad for pressing the exposed film against a cooperating developing chamber, and including heating means in the pressure pad for heating the surface of the pad which is in contact with the film.
 3. The duplicating machine of claim 1 and including means for collecting the cut off section of film.
 4. The duplicating machine of claim 1 and wherein the intermittent feeding means includes means for advancing the film intermittently a sufficient distance to permit multiple fiche images to be developed in the film with no spacing between the fiche.
 5. The duplicating machine of claim 2 wherein the surface of the pressure pad has a plurality of holes therein for venting of air entrapped between the pad surface and the film.
 6. The duplicating machine of claim 2 wherein the surface of the pressure pad has a coating thereon of material of lower thermal conductivity than the material of the pad so that the coating acts as a thermal impedance.
 7. The duplicating machine of claim 2 wherein the surface of the pressure pad has a Teflon coating thereon.
 8. A machine for making duplicate microfiche comprising: a holder for a roll of unexposed film; a dancer roll for maintaining constant tension on the film as it is fed from the roll through the machine; an exposure station wherein a microfiche master may be juxtaposed with a section of the film fed from the roll for transferring the image from the master to a section of the unexposed film; a microfiche master feeding tray assembly, said tray slideable along an axis perpendicular to the film being fed through the machine, said tray having means for securing a microfiche master thereto, and means for pressing the microfiche master and unexposed film together at the exposure station, said tray having an upper platen carrier and a lower platen carrier pivotally connected together at a plurality at parallel pivot points and including means for moving one of the carriers relative to the other along the pivotal connections so that the carriers move apart; a developing station adjacent the exposure station for developing the latent image in the section of the film after exposure; cut off means for cutting the exposed and developed section of film from the balance of the roll; feeding means for intermittently advancing the film from the roll holder through the exposure station, the developing station, and to the cut off means; and control means for determining the number of copies of the microfiche master to be made by advancing the film incrementally sufficiently to feed the final exposed section through the developing station and the cut off station. 